ACANTirOPTERYGIANS. 127 



longer than the others, and in having pointed, palatine teeth ; no lateral 

 carina to the tail. 



This little subgenus leads insensibly to Lepidopus and to Trichi- 

 urus*. 



GEMPYLUsf, Cuv. 



The Gempyles are similar to Thyrsites in the jaw-teeth, but there are 

 none in the palate, and the ventrals are almost imperceptible; an addi- 

 tional mark of affinity with Lepidopus J. 



XiPHiAS, Lin. 



The Espadons, or Sword Fishes, belong to the family of the Scombe- 

 roides, and approach the Tunnies, particularly in their excessively small 

 scales, in the carince on the sides of their tail, in the power of their caudal 

 tin, and in their whole internal organization. Their distinguishing cha- 

 racter consists in the beak, or long ensiform point or tusk, which termi- 

 nates their upper j^aw, and supplies them with a most powerful weapon of 

 offence, with which they attack the largest sea animals. This beak is 

 chiefly composed of the vomer and intermaxillaries, being strengthened at 

 its base by the uethmoid, frontals, and maxillaries. Their branchis are 

 not pectinated; each of them being formed of two large parallel lamina?, 

 the surface of which is reticulated §. They swim with astonishing swift- 

 ness, and their flesh is excellent. 



XiPiiiAs, Cuv. 



The Sword Fishes, properly so called, have no ventrals. But one spe- 

 cies is known (rt). 



Xiphias gladius, L. (The Common Sword-Fish). The point 

 horizontally flattened and trenchant like the broad blade of a sword ; 

 sides of the tail strongly carinated. It has but one dorsal, which 

 rises from before and from behind; the middle of it becoming worn 

 with age gives it the appearance of being double. It is one of the 

 largest and best fishes of the European seas, frequently attaining the 

 length of fifteen feet. It is more common in the Mediterranean 

 than in the Atlantic Ocean. A parasitic crustaceous animal |1 pene- 



* Scomber dentntus, Bl. Sclin., or Sc. atun, Euphrasen and Lacep., or Acinacee 

 Idtarde, Bory St. Vincent. 



t The antient name of an unknown fish. 



X Gempylus serpens, Cuv., or Serpens marinus compressus lliidus, Sloane, I, 1, 

 f. 2. 



§ This led Aristotle to say that the Xiphias has eight branchiffi. 



II Improperly named by Gmelin, the Pennaiula filosa. 



J^^ (a) Another species is well known to British Icthyologists, the A'. Notistium, 

 or l-'lying Sword-Fish. It possesses distinct ventral fins, and the dorsal beihg high 

 and long enables this fish to swim with such velocity that its beak, striking against 

 the stout oak plank of a ship, will pierce it. In the British Museum, in the Eleventh 

 Room, may be seen in a case over the fire-place, a remarkably fine prepared spe- 

 cimen of this rare fish; the spectator will also see beside it, a piece of oak plank 

 belonging to an East Indiaman, which had been pierced by one of the same species, 

 but niucli larger than the specimen. — Eng. Ed. 



